Leaving my homeland, and despite the heavy burden of fear, he never complained. Surely, he must have endured even harsher experiences before. Every night, before falling asleep, he prayed in Korean. I became so familiar with the sound that I could follow along without understanding the meaning. Watching Jad, I realized that being adopted at six months old and being adopted at almost five years old is like the difference between heaven and earth.

Yes, indeed.

When baby ducks hatch, they imprint on the first thing they see and follow it as their mother. Humans, too, can be profoundly affected by early imprints. Especially if a prayer learned in one’s mother tongue, if it was a prayer in a mother’s voice, it could become a lifelong pillar of support.